It's because of politicians like Miller that people hate politics. The man is either an opportunist, a traitor or just simply insane.
Would you say the same thing about Lincoln Chaffe or Jim Jeffords? Or Miller is an admirable man for sticking to his values and principles instead of blindly following his party? What do you have to say to this?
Chaffee did not switch parties until after his electoral defeat. As a Senator, he was dovish, but did not volubly oppose the national GOP. He stated that he would "write in" George H. W. Bush for President in 2004 rather than vote for W., but c'mon now.
Jeffords never became a Democrat, but he became an Independent who caucused with the Democrats solely over a local parochial pork-barrel issue. Jeffords was a huge supporter of the Northeast Dairy Compact, a subsidy program to dairy farmers that benefitted Vermont's dairy farmers, and Jeffords was it's cheerleader. In 2001, the Bush Administration decided not to renew this program. Whatever the flaws of the program, the Bush Administration didn't seem to understand just how important this program was to Jeffords, whose caucus switch shifted control of the Senate from the GOP to the Democrats. That's the entire reason that Jeffords switched.
Had the Northeast Dairy Compact been renewed, Jeffords likely would have remained a Republican. He was never in electoral danger in Vermont; Vermonters saw him as a guy with some clout who wasn't a mossback conservative. Despite his moderate record, Jeffords was well-regarded by his GOP colleagues, and on good terms with the GOP leadership. Trent Lott took pains to cultivate Jeffords, knowing that Jeffords was the most liberal member of the GOP caucus, but understanding that he was elected from liberal Vermont. Despite his status as a Republican, Jeffords was in no danger of being defeated at the polls; he was no less popular than Susan Collins in Maine is now.
Perhaps Jeffords was hanging onto his GOP label solely for its value in fighting for Vermont's Dairy Farmers. I can understand this, but to shift the balance of the entire Senate to the Democrats over a parochial issue less than a year after being re-elected as a Republican is not exactly keeping faith with the majority of folks that elected you.
Jeffords left because the Republican party had become too right-wing for him.
Of course the Republican party has gone even further to the right since then. Look at who proposed a rule change to prevent Senators from switching parties in 2001 after Jeffords left?
Specter.
Yes, Specter.
